Keeping You
by Madeline Axelle
Summary: Hanzo Hasashi has found the love of his life and finally able to let go of his dark past. The only thing left to do is to keep her forever. (A sequel to Mad Souls) (contains lemon/smut)
1. The Sudden Proposal

**If you're a sucker for hopeless-romantic kind of story, I think you'll like this one. But if you're gonna tell me Hanzo is ooc in this fanfiction, then hop off immediately because this is purely a fantasy of mine ;-) Anw I squeezed one Dishonored character in this, just a heads-up. Let me know you like it by giving me some love!**

"Are you really sure about this, Cage?" Hanzo lifts one of his eyebrows as he asks doubtfully.

"Trust me, Scorp. Chicks dig that sort of over-the-top things." Johnny answers while he slaps his arm trying to convince him.

Hanzo stays silent and wonder why he asked Johnny in the first place. His instinct tells him Johnny's advice sucks, and Hanzo isn't even that close to Johnny. His mind immediately goes to Kenshi and Corvo as he is closer to them and they could surely be better advisors. He turns his head away from Johnny and sits up; resting his forehead on his palms and sighs.

"Look, you want this to be special for her, right? Then why don't you go an extra mile?" Johnny says as he sits up and rests his hand on Hanzo's shoulder. "You got the ring though right?"

Hanzo shakes his head and runs his man fingers through his hair and pulls it as a sign of frustration.

"Dude…"

"I had just planned it with no clue how to actually propose, Cage. That's why I've come to you to seek advice." Which turns out to be the worst idea ever, he thought to himself.

"Look, Hanzo." Johnny starts to get serious, "I honestly don't know why you would come to me for this, which hey, I'm honored. But you know I'm divorced, man. You know I can't keep a woman by whatever thing I did when I proposed."

Damn! He curses himself silently. How could he forget that his marriage failed? Now he's even surer that he has made a big mistake by approaching Johnny to discuss this matter. But it is too late for him to retract this, so he decides to wing it and asks, "I'm just wondering how you proposed to Sonya. I am in need of an inspiration."

"It was actually really old-school man. I took her to restaurant to eat a three-course meal and hide the ring in the dessert. She did say yes but it's obviously not working to keep her."

Hanzo is getting even more frustrated as his features stiffened. He stays silent, and Johnny's sappy story can't be in one of his concerns right now. He massages his nose bridge; the idea could've stuck inside it and he's hoping to let it run smoothly, but nothing comes to mind. He growls in irritation.

"Hey, take it easy, man. Whatever you do, make sure it's enough to keep her for the rest of your life." Wow. Thanks for yet another helpful advice, Johnny. He rolls his eyes as he thought to himself.

* * *

Hanzo lies in his bed alone that night in his white t-shirt and gray sweatpants. He looks over the empty pillow lying next to him and his thought immediately flies to her.

"Oh, Athenia. How I wish you were here." He sighs as he mumbles her name.

He grabs the empty pillow and wraps his arm around it. Her intoxicating smell of cherry blossom that adheres to the pillow dances around his nose. He finds a string of her jet-black hair on it and a smile instantly twitches on his face, remembering how she wakes him up every morning by giving him a peck on the tip of his nose and how the first thing he sees is her bright turquoise eyes illuminated by the sunlight. Then he would discard her hair away from her face gently and tug it behind her ear to see her beautiful face. He couldn't help the smile on his face as he pulls her body closer to him to give her a tender kiss on her plump lips. Hanzo recalls the warm feeling of their bodies pressing together passionately, and it draws him to hold the pillow tighter.

He sighs as he pictures her gorgeousness inside his head. He now feels emotion he felt before he was turned into Scorpion. Even after he got restored back into his current form, the Scorpion in him still took over and raged away sometimes. But when he's on her side, he feels warm and peaceful throughout. Athenia has returned the smile in his face that has been missing for God knows how long. He hasn't felt this way since Kana, his first wife. But it's strangely different; he was happy with her, and their relationship was filled with a lot of love, but now that he's with Athenia, the passion and heat are involved. The love they make is more than just mating and a physical act; it's wild, lusty, electrifying, but passionate at the same time. This woman has made him more human than before. She makes him forget about his dark past and helps him move forward with his life.

Dominating him is not an easy job to do as Hanzo is the dominant type. He has the drive to dominate; he used to dominate Kana. He made her a complete submissive. She had to obey him and agreed on everything he says. Maybe that's why he had fallen in love with her; because it was easier. With Athenia, she's hard. Her personality is as strong as his. She could dominate him if she wants to. She can fight harder than three Goros combined as far as he knows. Her words could be as harsh as a nail on a chalkboard. She is the type of woman whom he could possibly hate that he'd rather chew on rusty spikes; and he hated her until one day he started to look at her differently. How did he fall in love with Athenia; it's the question he has yet to answer, but he's sure about one thing; it's slowly, but all at once. It seems like she acts like a healer and a drug at the same time. He needs her; he needs her bad.

He misses her. So much his ribs are aching. It's silly to him that he misses her so badly when they are only been away for two days, and he's going to see her tomorrow anyway. It is clear to him that he doesn't want to be away from her, ever. He wants her to be on his side forever. He will do whatever it takes to make her stay. He wants her to stay. He wants to grow old with her, see her beautiful face every day, and spend the rest of his life with her. He's never feel more certain before.

This is where it hits him – the proposal! Damn, nothing pops up in his head. He slaps his head and groans. And on top of that, he doesn't even have a ring yet. He thinks, hard. He is thinking so hard his brain feels like spinning and it's about to break onto his skull then flies away. Should he go old-school like Johnny did or should he go over-the-top like Johnny suggested? Oh God, why is he even listening to Johnny? He can't believe he is thinking of doing things based on that damn actor. But he also doesn't want to scare her away like he did when he told Athenia he loved her for the first time. Though he can't blame her completely as she is also traumatized by her past and Hanzo was rushing through this relationship, so she left him for a few months. It was the worst time throughout his relationship with her.

At this point, his headspace has gone all over the place. He feels sick to his stomach and his head is dizzy. Hanzo then decides to shut his slanted eyes and lay in the even darker place. His brain is still working; that's good, he thought. His brain spins and spins until he realizes he is drifting away to somewhere even more peaceful; the dreamland.

* * *

It is a nice Sunday on spring in Shirai Ryu's temple. Actually, the days have always been nice since all the real enemies are vanished and all realms live in peace. The winter's gone and the sun is shining warmly. The air is crisp but it's too cold and windy to wear a t-shirt, so Hanzo goes out in his tawny brown coat and black gloves, paired with black pants and white slip-on sneakers. He puts his hair in a bun so the wind won't blow his hair to his face and block his sight.

He's expecting her to come soon. He pins one of his leg to the tree trunk he's leaning on and puts his hands inside the coat's pocket. His hazel eyes searches for those heart-thumping turquoise eyes. As far as he knows, she could hide behind the bushes and then she would come out and tried to scare him off. Ah, he misses her playfulness and how her face lit up like the morning sun and how she laughs every time she manages to scare him off. Now that's one of the reason he's marrying her.

Damn it! He totally forgot about the proposal and how he's going to do it. If only he wasn't betrothed by his parents when he was with Kana and he did his own proposal, he could've had a slight idea how it actually works. His face is now facing the ground as he takes a heavy breathing. His other feet stamps on the ground hoping an idea would soon appear in his mind. He's lost in his thoughts. But suddenly, a familiar summer rain-like voice whispers through his ear.

"Expecting me, stud?"

He turns his head around in one swift move, and there she stands gorgeously in her black leather jacket with a white sleeveless top inside it and white pants that hug her body flawlessly. Her hair is braided to one side and she wears an identical white slip-on sneakers. Athenia. Oh, how she always manages to take his breath away. He can't help the smile on his face as he witnesses the Greek-Edenian goddess in front of him. And she's his to claim. Forever. Soon. He hopes.

"Hey, gorgeous." He says as he leans his body to her and pulls her closer to him. He lands a smooch on her red lips as his hand caresses through her soft cheek. Athenia kisses him back while wrapping her arms around his torso, cherishing every second of the feet-popping kiss he's giving. Both of them pull away a little bit later. His hand is now on the back of her neck and he rests his forehead on hers, staring into those beautiful eyes of hers.

"I missed you." Hanzo frowns, "What took you so long to get here?"

"I missed you, too. More than you know." Athenia smiles as she holds his wrist on his free hand, "I wanted to get here sooner, but Becky was in a bit of a trouble, so I checked up on her for a while and make sure she's okay." She gives him a small peck and pulls away. Hanzo reaches out to her hand and holds it, their fingers intertwined. They walk away from the tree directionless.

"Was it Corvo?"

"Well, you know how he travels a lot, right? Becky gets lonely sometimes, so I went to her place straight away after I got back from Edenia to comfort her."

Hanzo nods, turning his face towards her, "But he's doing it for her safety. He always speaks highly of her."

"I know how much he loves her." Athenia suddenly stops and puts her arms around Hanzo's neck, "But I'm not sure about your feelings for me. I mean, you're such a selfish bastard." Teases Athenia as she gazes into his eyes.

Hanzo lets out a small chuckle and places his arms around her curvy waist, "Don't you tease me with that, Princess. You know how much I love you. In fact, I can prove it right now." Hanzo teases her back, smirking.

Athenia giggles as she arches her head backward and places her hands on his broad chest, "I know what you have in mind, pervert. Save it for later. It's such a beautiful day and I want to take a stroll all day."

"Very well," Hanzo lets go and grabs her hand once more, preceding the walk, "Where do you want me to take you?"

"I wanna see the cherry blossoms. They're in season and I don't wanna miss it." Requests Athenia, "Oh anyway, what did you do while I was away?"

"The usual. I get up, train with Shirai Ryu all day with breaks and meals in between," Hanzo checks out the beautiful surrounding, watching how everything blooms so beautifully. And then he mentioned something that he probably shouldn't, "Oh, and I saw Johnny Cage."

Athenia raises an eyebrow on that remark, "Johnny Cage? I didn't know you guys are friends. Why were you seeing him anyway?"

Damn! Hanzo curses himself silently. Why did he say that?! He could've told her the otherwise. Like hung out with Kenshi and Corvo, or sparred with Kuai Liang, or anything other than he saw Johnny freaking Cage. His eyebrows furrows and his teeth clenches, turning his face from Athenia so she cannot see him panicking, but he quickly recovered, "I requested him to come to Shirai Ryu base next week to teach my pupils some technique. We know he's a fine martial artist behind all those inappropriate humors." He sighs in relieve, that's not a bad excuse, he thought.

"Ah, I see." Luckily, Athenia is also distracted by the beautiful surrounding, so it seems like she believes the lie he said by the way she nods. Hanzo seizes this moment quickly by distracting the conversation.

"I know a place loaded with blooming cherry blossoms, let me take you there. I think you will appreciate it."

"Wow, really? Well why are you walking so slowly then? Come on!" Athenia shrieks in excitement as she pulls Hanzo's hand that forces him to pick up his walking pace.

"Alright, Ath. Slow down!" Hanzo shakes his head while a slight smile appears on his face. Sometimes her excitement is just too much for him to handle, but he'll surely miss it if it's gone.

* * *

It has been a long yet fine day for Hanzo and Athenia. They spent the day in the park where the cherry blossoms bloom so beautifully. They would take pictures of each other and occasional selfies while they stroll around the park. He enjoyed every minute with her as cherry blossom reminds him of her divine smell. They had a big bowl of ramen noodles for lunch. Hanzo is always astonished every time he watches Athenia eats; she eats like a truck driver and yet she manages to keep in shape. And he still can't get it out of his mind how after their today's lunch, Athenia sprays her hot-garlicky breath from the ramen to Hanzo's face, and then Athenia laughed uncontrollably while Hanzo was trying to get back at her by holding her in place and sprays his hot and even more garlicky breath through her mouth. Athenia's witty remarks like that are what slowly show that Hanzo actually had a sense of humor, and he's grateful for it, and for Athenia.

But now the night time has come and they end up somewhere hidden and secret deep in Kuatan Jungle in Outworld; a special place in their hearts. This is where they learned about each other and eventually fell in love. The night time is always beautiful in this place especially right now that the full moon appears and it shines so brightly warm. The stars act like little diamonds that dressed the sky up and makes it even prettier. The starry sky compliments the chill air perfect for cuddling, and the sound of the waterfall relaxes Hanzo and Athenia as they are cuddling.

Athenia sits between Hanzo's legs. Her back on his chest warms him throughout. He holds her tight by wrapping his arms around her. It is clear to him that she feels comfortable as she rests her head on his shoulder, and he would kiss her hair occasionally just to inhale her intoxicating smell of cherry blossom. She exhales in pleasure every time his soft lips brushes through her hair.

"You smell divine, Ath." Hanzo says as he rests his head next to hers.

Athenia lets out a small hum as she smiles and replies, "You've told me that million times, and my answer will always be the same; that's weird, I hardly use any perfume."

"Maybe you should learn how to accept compliments."

"Maybe _you_ should shower more often so you can smell as nice as I do."

Hanzo giggles as he bumps his head on hers, "That's for you."

"Ouch, that hurts, you bastard!" Athenia chuckles as she playfully pulls his beard.

Hanzo laughs, then the silence comes for a moment. The moment passed and Hanzo breaks the silence, "You know it's odd that I laugh at your humors yet I despise that sort of things, especially if it comes out of Johnny Cage's mouth."

"Oh, Hanzo dear, you have sense of humor! You just won't admit it." Athenia replies as she pat his cheek softly. He enjoys it and then positions his cheek so Athenia's hand has a full access to it.

"Hm, maybe only for you, you one bewitching lady."

Athenia laughs as she turns her body halfway to face him, "Must you be so cheesy?"

"I'm not being _cheesy_. It's true, you're bewitching indeed."

Athenia blushes on that remark. Her cheeks are as red as an apple. She then turns her body completely this time and crosses her legs while her body faces Hanzo.

"Well, I love your cheesiness, Master Hasashi." Athenia smiles, Hanzo smiles back and asks,

"What else do you love about me?"

"Well," Athenia stays silence for a moment. Her warm eyes are gazing at the moon that illuminates her face beautifully. Hanzo admires the sight in front of him. Even to him, her face this time is prettier than the moon will ever be. "I love the way you sniff my hair – it kind of turns me on." She says as she giggles.

Hanzo giggles, "What else?"

"Hm, also the way your beard tickles everytime we cuddle and how you hold my hand," Athenia says shyly, "And how you kiss me gently, but passionate at the same time."

Hanzo's heart skips a beat, "And then?" His eyes gaze at her gorgeous turquoise eyes, not blinking. Her eyes return his gaze shyly.

"And how you hold me tightly while we kiss… and then how our chest touches and how it feels… hotly addicting."

Both of them gulp. She licks her lips then bites it. Hanzo can't take his eyes off of her soft plump lips that is now looks extra moist from her saliva; he just want it to be him who bites and licks that glorious lips of her.

"And then I love how you take it slow… every time we make sweet love. And I love it too when you take me like a… beast. I want to do nothing but surrender at your touch…"

At this point, their lips are only inches apart. They can feel each other's breath on their faces. Her hands are on his chest, and he knows she can feel his heart thumping fast and loud. Breathing is getting harder for both of them.

"…and I want to feel that touch, hold you, and cherish you… for all my life. Because I lo—"

Hanzo doesn't wait for her to finish her sentence. He places his hand behind her neck and grabs her soft lift he has been longing to kiss with his lips. Devouring the sweet taste of her lips, numbing his brain. He's too hungry for her touch to even think that her last sentence might be a code he has yet to break. He closes his eyes as she closes hers. The tip of his tongue lands a lick on her red lips; another thing he's been longing for. Then his tongue travels inside her mouth, exploring it as he tilts his head slightly, feeling her completely. She lets out a small moan in between the kiss. He pulls her closer to him as he lies on his back, dragging her with him so she's now on top of him. He deepens the kiss as his hand travels to her back, caressing it gently. Her hand is tugging his hair, making a mess of it. He hisses in pleasure when Athenia yanks his hair, never letting go of the kiss. They devour each other taste even deeper to find that sweeter spot of theirs, feeling the strong vibe of love throughout the kiss. Hanzo's lips parts as Athenia's lips brushes the skin below his ear, kissing it with her wet tongue's assistance, nipping it softly. Suddenly, the word Hanzo has been over thinking lately comes out of nowhere in between their steamy kiss. He is too tipsy from the kiss that he doesn't even realize he is literally whispering those words,

"Marry me, Athenia."

 **Still don't know if I should post more of this or not. Let me know if you want to see more!**


	2. How She Reacts

**So yes; I decided to post the continuation of this story. And thank you so much for the great reviews! It means a lot to me that you enjoyed reading the story so far and you get my intention with the story. I hope you'll enjoy reading the 2nd one as well. Yes, this one's a bit shorter as it is only the resolution of Hanzo's all-of-the-sudden proposal. Don't forget to give me some L-O-V-E :)**

* * *

"What?" Dumbfounded, Athenia releases herself from Hanzo and sits up between his parted legs. She still faces the shocked Hanzo that is still lying on his back.

If Athenia's dumbfounded, Hanzo is more than flabbergasted. His eyes widened and his jaw drops slightly. His heart is beating loudly and his palms are sweating. Did he just say that? Did he just propose to her out of nowhere in between their make-out session? Oh God, has he just blown it all away? She's going to run away from him again, isn't she? He's asking a bunch of questions in his head, and now it's spinning again, processing what just happened.

Hanzo finally sits up. He bends his leg and hides his face behind his arms. His fingers are tugging his hair, yanking it. He still hasn't said anything. He's too afraid of scaring her away. He doesn't want her to leave him yet again. His brain is thinking how he can fix this awkward situation.

"Hanzo, say something." Athenia shakes his arms that are covering his face, trying to see it. But Hanzo's grip on his hair is too strong that she can't move it even an inch.

"Hanzo," Athenia softens her tone as she gets up just by her knee so Hanzo's eyes are one level with her mouth, "Did you just seriously propose to me?"

"Yes." Hanzo finally lets out a single word from his mouth, still hiding. He doesn't want to see her face as he is still shocked and kind of embarrassed. Plus he can't say no to her question; proposing her is his true intention indeed. He just doesn't expect the word vomit in between their make-out session.

"Then why are you hiding behind your arms?"

"Because I've… scared you… and you're going to want to run away like you did the first time I told you I love you."

Athenia chuckles, discarding Hanzo's arms that cover his face that are now looser, "Hanzo, look at me," She said as she lifts up his chin, forcing him to look directly into her eyes, "Why would you think I would run away from you for the second time?"

"Because I thought—"

Athenia cuts him by a gentle kiss on his lips. His stiff features instantly relax by her touch. Her hands grasp on his black soft strands, twisting it beneath her finger. His hands find her hip and holding it firmly in his grip. His lips catch her bottom lip, chewing it softly. Athenia pulls away and places her nose on his,

"Still thinking I'm running away?" She whispers, throwing a warm gaze to his bleak eyes. Hanzo shakes his head. Her warm, sea-bright eyes make him realize that she actually is staying. She's not going anywhere. Hanzo breathes a sigh of relief.

"Good," Athenia says as she kisses his forehead, "Because I'm not going anywhere. Nothing you said can scare me off, even if you told me you're turning back into Scorpion, I'd still stay, loving you."

Hanzo gets up by his knee, leveling himself with Athenia, "Really?" He tugs his fingers beneath her soft black hair then she places her hand above one of his hands.

"Running away from you was the biggest mistake of my life. I suffered, more than I have my entire life. Yet I was in denial; I refused to believe that it was you whom I needed the most. I thought by pushing you away makes it easier for me to find myself, just like I did to everyone else," Athenia sighs as she looks up to the sky with an empty glare, "But… when I saw you dying in that battlefield, it feels like both of my arms are being ripped. From that moment, I knew there's a piece of me inside you. And for the first time since I am fearless, I was afraid; afraid I could lose you forever…" Her voice is shaky and Hanzo notices her eyes glisten and a tear at the bay of her eye as she looks down the ground.

"Sshh… Baby," Hanzo's voice is comforting and he hugs her slender figure tightly, caressing her hair. Athenia buries herself in his broad chest. Her body shakes uncontrollably. He can feel his shirt is getting wet caused by the streaming tears from her eyes. He doesn't know Athenia's reaction could be this emotional, and it drives him on the edge to be as emotional, but he's glad to know that his feeling is mutual; she is afraid to lose him as well.

"Hey," Hanzo loosen his hug on her and lift up her chin with his right hand. Her eyes are bleary, she gazes an empty glare to what seems like his ear instead of looking directly into his comforting eyes. "Athenia I know does not shed a tear."

"I know, but—"

Hanzo places his index finger on her lips, not wanting her to finish the sentence as he already knew what she was going to say, "It is over; you did not lose me, did you?"

This time, Athenia dares to look into his eyes. Her eyes are still glistening, but thankfully, the tears are not visible. She frowns as she shakes her head. Hanzo twitches a smile and kiss her on the forehead. She wipes her wet and reddened cheek with Hanzo's thumb assistance.

"Well, I guess there's just one thing left to do." Still with a beam, Hanzo looks over to his side as he notices a stalk of light blue wildflower which matches Athenia's eyes. He lets go of her, picks the wildflower, and makes a ring-shaped knot.

"Hanzo, what are you doing?" Athenia asks curiously.

"Stand up," Hanzo orders without taking a glance at her, bending over so she cannot see his progress, "I'm making a ring."

"W—"

"Ssshh…" Hanzo tries to shut Athenia up as he is concentrating. He is not the best at handcrafting, and his fingers are not exactly slim, so he needs all the concentration he can get. He then hears the shriek of the grass, and by that sign he knows that Athenia has followed his order. After a few attempts, he finally manages to produce something acceptable to his standard, "I guess this will do."

Hanzo stands up, facing Athenia while holding the ring he made out of wildflower stalk. Hanzo smiles as Athenia giggles. Her tone is still nasal from the cry. Her hand covers her nose as an attempt to block any excess tear.

"I know this is not how to properly propose a woman you love. I mean, look at this ring." Hanzo begins his proposal speech as he points his eyes at his handcrafted-ring.

"Go on." Athenia giggles softly, ending it with a smile as Hanzo gets down on one knee. Their fingers are trembling of nervousness.

"Baby, For the past days I have been thinking of proposing to you. I thought so hard about what can I do to make sure I can keep you forever, but then I just realized I didn't need a plane to picture my feelings for you, or a submarine to describe how deep my feelings are for you; I simply have to let my heart say those words. You came to my life when it's a mess; I was angry and the desire for vengeance ran through me, and then you healed me with your own... beautiful touch. You are the reason why I'm able to live my life again without having to worry about all of these wounds inside of my jaded soul. I know I may not still be the perfect man- Christ, I am hardly a good one, but you completed me, and I want you to be on my side for the rest of my life; I want to start a family with you, I want to have kids with you, and I want to grow old with you," At this point, Hanzo grips on Athenia's hand tighter. He can feel their pulse are synchronizing, beating fast and loud, "So Athenia Stathakis, will you be my wife and make me the happiest man?"

Athenia smiles as a shed of happy tears fall down from her glistening turquoise eyes, making it even brighter. He can tell she feels the same way, but he still cannot hide the nervousness from his face. A drop of sweat drips from his temple.

Athenia gathers her tears and wipes it with her hand as she beams brighter than the moon. And then those words Hanzo has been dying to hear for the past days comes out of her mouth and it sounds like the most beautiful symphony to his ears, which puts a big smile on his face; probably the biggest smile he has ever shown within his harsh looking face.

"I'd love to."

* * *

 **Should I post the wedding of Hanzo and Athenia? Let me know if you want to see their magical wedding ;-)  
**


	3. The Wedding (part 1)

**Before I start my senior year, I just got to post the story on how the two ties a knot because well... They're my OTP lol. I am working on the next chapter of Mad Souls but it's been a struggle since I'm juggling internship stuff and my final thesis as well, so I kinda lost my touch in fanfiction. Thankfully, I have actually finished this story before all the madness begin, so it's just a matter of time to post the complete story. I hope you like this chapter (and the story, of course) and I'd be grateful for every review and follows & favs, so please leave them for me because I've worked hard and put a lot of thought into this :') And thanks to the amazing MartengaPop for her endless support and for letting me borrow Becky Atkin, her OC. Be sure to check out her stuff. And sorry for the long note lol.**

 **P.S: the rating will be changed soon for future lemon.**

* * *

The words about Hanzo and Athenia's wedding day have been heard and talked all over the realm. Not only because Athenia's status as the princess of Edenia and how she's marrying the well-known ninja assassin Hanzo Hasashi, it's because people are surprised how two people with strong personalities like them can finally tie a knot – and to people's surprise, they're tying a knot to each other!

Everything has been prepared and the big day has arrived. The Grand Palace of Edenia has been decorated oh-so-luxuriously to celebrate the precious and historical moment. As the queen of Edenia, Kitana has prepared a large troop of army to guard the wedding ceremony as the palace will surely be packed with people. The guards are placed in every corner of the palace and Kitana has ordered their commander to train them harder in order for this wedding to go smoothly with zero disaster. Even though the enemies have been defeated, Kitana is not taking any chances.

It's only a few more hours before the big ceremony begins, and Athenia is sitting on her dressing table in her beige-themed bedroom with her hair and make-up fully done. The only thing left to do is put on her wedding gown that is hanging on her closet's knob. She taps her perfectly manicured finger on the table nervously as she stares at her beautifully made Grecian style wedding dress that will show her flawless back off once she puts it on while glancing at her engagement ring that looks like it is naturally twisted on her finger once in a while. Her wildflower 'ring' Hanzo used to propose her has been replaced by him with the real one. It still captures the essence of the previous ring as it has a white flower pendant with a diamond on the other end. She tread her feet in a fast pace; she is nervous as hell, but she is not quite sure if this is just an ordinary cold feet she's having.

Athenia realizes that she's not being herself right now – or most of the times when it comes to Hanzo. Her feelings for him had made her a different woman, at least to her. He brings out all the best side in her that she or anyone else didn't knew she had. She didn't know she could be gentle, compassionate, and witty behind this tough and harsh mask she put on until Hanzo comes into her life. And for the first time in her life, she finally knows what love really means and how it feels. Well, to Athenia, it's more than just feeling things you've never felt or doing things you've never thought you would done; It's actually not realizing what you've gotten yourself into whether it's bad or good or right or wrong and your feeling stays the same; you still don't want to be apart from that someone. In Athenia's case, it's Hanzo, and she's not planning to let him go soon or later.

She's almost lost in her thoughts when a knock on her door is heard,

"Ath, are you there?"

Athenia breathes a sigh of relief; finally a familiar voice to accompany her sudden nervousness. She normally doesn't get nervous – she wasn't at all familiar with nervousness before she is placed in this situation. Athenia then takes a deep breath as she gets herself together and finally replies,

"Bex, just come. You really don't have to knock every time, you know."

The door creaks open and it reveals her best friend, Becky Atkin, and she's all dolled up in a sky blue bridesmaid dress that falls below her knees. Her hair is done in a french braid styled bun with a gray little headpiece that matches her eyes. She gasps in shock when she sees Athenia only in her silk white robe as she rushes towards her,

"Ath, why aren't you dressed yet? It's almost time!" Shrieks Becky as she grips on both Ath's upper arm in panick.

"Come on, Bex. Just because you designed my wedding gown doesn't mean you can order me when to put it on right?"

"It's not about that, Ath. Come on, I'm honored that you're going to rock one of my pieces, but it's not always about work. And why are your lips trembling? Are you okay?" Becky checks her temperature by placing her palm on Athenia's forehead.

"Yeah, I'm fine. It's just—" Athenia sighs as she discards her arm away from her forehead, "I don't know why I'm so nervous. I've never been nervous before and it's freaking me out!" Athenia reaches for Becky's hand and holding it tightly. By the look on Becky's face, she knows she can feel how cold her hands are.

"Whoa, Ath. You're not being yourself right now. What's going on?" Being a good friend and maid of honor, Becky takes her by the arm to sit her on her bed and she sits beside her as she pats her back with one of her palms.

"God, I wish I knew." Athenia says as she intertwines her own cold hands, trying to warm them up. She then looks up and finds Becky's eyes with her shaky ones, "I guess—"

"You know, it could just only be the cold feet you get before you say I do. It happens, Ath. You'll be okay. Once you and Hanzo leave the aisle, you guys are going to have a happy marriage life—"

"No, Bex. I don't think that explains my nervousness at all."

"Then what is it?" Becky's eyes start to show concern, and she should be concern indeed. Athenia knows Becky well, and so Becky knows her better, and Athenia is not the person to show nervousness, fright, let alone insecurities, "It's okay, Ath. Just tell me what's bugging you."

Athenia sighs as she stares at her engagement ring that circled beautifully around her slender ring finger, rubbing it once in a while with her thumb, recalling the night where they got engaged, "I've told you how Hanzo used to be obsessed over avenging the murderer of her ex-wife and son and how badly he wanted them to be restored, right?"

"Yeah. So?"

"I wonder if he still wants all of that…" There's a short pause after Athenia shares this piece of her mind, "Well, not just that. If he doesn't and he only wants all of me, will he love me or our future children as much as he loved her and their son? Will he go as crazy if he ever lost me or our children? Well, not that I want him to be into his old Scorpion self again, but… you know what I mean. There's just a lot of questions and uncertainty in my mind that – Ah, Bex…"

"Oh, Athenia dear, you're overreacting," Becky says softly as she gives her dearest friend a warm hug, "Have you ever paid any attention to how Hanzo looks at you?"

Without letting go of her hug, Athenia replies, "Umm… I guess. Well, I don't know – what about it?"

Becky lets go of the hug a moment later and reach for her hand, "Gosh. You really do need to pay more attention to how people act around you," Becky smiles. Her grey eyes are comforting; just what Athenia needs in a best friend, "Even Corvo and I know the way Hanzo looks at you is nothing we've seen before, and I almost didn't believe his background stories you've told me and how he used to be Scorpion. I mean, when he looks at you, I swear his whole features seem to smile; his eyes can't fake it, Ath. It's like his surrounding is all in black and white but you."

Ath stays silent, still listening to Becky while she recalls all the time she has spent with Hanzo. She tries to remember how he actually looks at her. Before she even got to her conclusion, Becky continues,

"And the way Hanzo puts his arms around you in public can't also be faked, Ath; it's intuitive. Every time any men lay eyes on you, he puts on this hissing tiger face on which seem to tell them to get their own. Even when the four of us hang out, the way he randomly strokes your back and shoulder makes me jealous sometimes," She giggles, "It's like he adores every inch of you."

Still in silence, Athenia got lost in her thoughts. She used to think that the touch Hanzo randomly gives her meant nothing remembering how randomly he does that, but seeing by how often he does that kind of tells her something else, and Becky's words starting to make sense.

"Don't forget the way he lights up every time he sees you laugh. I can tell that he loves the sight of you laughing, even at his own stupidity. It's like the chemistry between both of you will never fade in time,"

Athenia smiles at that thought, remembering Hanzo and his adorable self when his face lights up. Even Athenia still find it adorable when he's angry over stupid little things. He could be a baby but a man at the same time. It confuses but amazes her at the same time how Becky is actually more detail-oriented on her relationship with Hanzo more than she ever does, "Bex, do you have a crush on my fiancée or something?" Athenia giggles, a sign that shows she has been calmed.

Becky laughs at that remark, "God, Ath. Of course not! It's just – watching you guys happy kind of lighten my heart as well – and Corvo's too; he turned kind of cuddly. Thanks to Hanzo."

Athenia beams at Becky. Becky returns her smile with an even bigger one, "Both of you are my favorite couple. Your love for each other is so sincere, pure, but raw at the same time."

Athenia's cheek flushed. She stares at her empty ring finger on her right hand that will soon have a wedding band around it. A slight smile appears on her face. Now she misses him even though she'll be seeing him down the aisle in a few minutes. She can't wait to see how handsome he will look in his Japanese wedding attire.

"Hey, Ath. You know what the best part about your relationship with Hanzo?" Becky asks, and Athenia lifts her shoulders, "He's changed you. Just like you've changed him. So don't tell me that he isn't crazy for you or he still wants his old family to be restored because I'm sure he only got his eyes on you and the future that lies before both of you."

Athenia shows a slightly bigger smile. She realizes how lucky she is to finally meet Hanzo. Now that she is sure of what she has, she spread her arms and lean her body towards Becky to give her a big hug, "Thanks, Becky. I love you. You're such a good friend," Compliments her, "Now will you help me retouch my hair and make up? I want to get dressed. I can't wait to get down that aisle." Athenia asks for Becky's favor as she stands up. Becky smiles when she sees her best friend is finally eager to get ready as she stands up to help her.

* * *

Hanzo glances himself at the mirror to check if the Japanese wedding attire he's wearing looks decent. He smooths the collar one last time with his palm as he exhales in confusion. He's nervous that he's about to remarry, but he's feeling lighthearted at the same time as he has been given the second chance to love and to be happy. And Hanzo is sure that he doesn't want to mess it up the second time. He knows how brave Athenia can be, and he is sure Athenia can take care of herself if she is ever in danger, but he has made a promise to himself that he will do anything to protect her and to have her by his side until his time comes.

His heart skips a beat when a knock on the door is heard. He turns his head quickly to the door and finds who looks like one of the wedding planners saying, "Gentlemen, it's time."

Hanzo can feel his heart drops to his feet. He places his palm on his left-side chest as he blows air out of his mouth. _This is it_ , he thought. He heads to the door but he is stopped by a touch of palm on his left shoulder,

"Are you ready?" Remarks Corvo.

"I've got your vow," Kenshi reminds him from his right side as he pats his back a couple of times, "Get excited, Hanzo. You're about to live again."

Hanzo almost forgot that Corvo and Kenshi, his groomsmen, are in the room with him. He replies both of them with only a smile as he pats both of his friends' shoulders. He's so nervous that he doesn't even know how to respond to them. If the chattiness level could be ranked between the three of them, he'd sit in the second place. Corvo would be in the seventh as he is not the type of guy to speak if it is not really necessary, and he's so quiet most of the time, but this time, Hanzo can't even be considered in the eighth spot below Corvo.

He then turns the doorknob and heads outside, not bothering if Kenshi and Corvo are following behind him. He got lost in his thoughts already. Those feelings he's having are just too much for him. Though it's not negative feelings at all, he still struggles to not let a sweat drip. He doesn't want to be covered in sweat once he reaches the aisle as that would be too embarrassing. He normally enjoys getting sweaty when he's on his training gear, or on his and Athenia's sexy times, but not this time. He's neither training with Shirai Ryu nor fooling around with Athenia. He's getting married, and sweat plus this heavy Japanese wedding attire are not the best combination.

Yes, he's nervous as hell, but also pumped at the same time. He's finally marrying the woman he chose by himself, letting his heart follows what it actually desires from the get go, and he's going to start a new life with her; a better one. His heart rate increases at this point as he pictures Athenia in her white wedding dress. He bets she will look even more breathtaking than she already is. The color white definitely compliments her skin, and she will glow twice as much in her wedding dress.

"Hanzo, is everything alright?" Kenshi pats his shoulder from behind.

He turns his face around to find Kenshi standing tall behind him with Corvo on his tail. His face turns dumbfounded as he notices his surrounding has completely change. White flowers can be seen in every corner. The sound of the chattering crowd echoes in the room packed with people. The smell of the white roses and people's perfumes mix in the air creating a sensational smell of happiness. From where he's standing, he recognizes some familiar faces sitting in the provided well-decorated long chair; Kuai Liang next to Raiden, and then a guy named Nathan who goes to the same workplace as Corvo whom he met a few times. And two chairs behind, Takeda, Hanzo's greatest pupil and the son of Kenshi, is whispering something to Jaqui's ear that makes her giggle flirtatiously. In front of him, Johnny and Sonya are catching up to each other, at least that's what it seems – Oh God, Johnny Cage is on his wedding. The guy with the most brilliant advice on proposal or some sort. He rolls his eyes at that thought.

And then he realizes something he should've realized a couple minutes ago; he's standing at the end of the aisle, the spot where he will soon be jointed. His lips parts in shock. Wasn't he just about to walk down here? How is this possible? He must have gone really lost in his thoughts that he shuts down the surroundings completely.

"Hanzo!" Kenshi calls his name in a slightly louder voice, "Are you okay?"

Startled, Hanzo answers Kenshi rather hastily, "Yes, yes. Never better." He lies; he has never been so nervous he could die.

Kenshi raises both of his eyebrows in disbelief, but the look on his face tells Hanzo that he chooses to let that one slides away. Kenshi might have his eyes covered with a red fabric, but Hanzo and Kenshi go way back that Hanzo has recognized his facial expressions.

"Alright, the wedding planner has told Corvo and me to get in the back. We'll be back here with the bridesmaids before you know it." Kenshi then gives him a friendly hug followed by a wish of good luck. Corvo does the same, and then they leave Hanzo standing alone with Kitana who is going to marry them.

"I know you are tense, Master Hasashi." Kitana blurts out of nowhere once Kenshi and Corvo are out of sight. Hanzo doesn't say anything on that remark. He only stares at Kitana as if he is asking her how she knew that.

"It is quite alright. Wedding day can be nerve-racking for couples." Kitana smiles, "I understand you were betrothed in your previous marriage."

Hanzo doesn't understand why Kitana suddenly tries to make a personal conversation with him. They normally only talk about the cooperation between Earthrealm and Edenia or something related to that, but since Kitana is Athenia's step-sister, he decides to go with it and responds. Besides, she's the queen, and she's the one who will join him and Athenia in a holy matrimony.

"Yes, my Queen. That is true."

"Please take a good care of my sister, Hanzo. You've made her happy, so please keep that smile on her face." Kitana supplicates.

Hanzo smiles at her remark. He actually has made her happy, and he's glad people notice her happiness as well. "That's what I intend to do."

Suddenly, the classic wedding music fills the room beautifully which instantly quiet the crowd, a sign telling everyone that the big ceremony is about to begin. Hanzo's heart skips a beat his sight heads to his toes. He joints his fingers in nervousness – this is it; the turning point of his life. Happiness is just a few minutes away, and he hopes he truly deserves it.

Next thing he sees is Kenshi walking down the aisle with Cassie Cage, one of Athenia's bridesmaids, linking her arm on him. Cassie and Athenia have been close lately. Surprisingly, they hit it off rather quickly after they are introduced to each other, which is not very common knowing the introvert Athenia. He guesses Cassie's charm is what captures her, and that's good; it means she has lowered her guard with people.

A moment later, Kenshi is standing tall next to Hanzo. He pats Hanzo on his shoulder, and Hanzo replies by smiling nervously at him as his eyes head to Cassie, who is in her position already. This means Corvo and Becky will be next and then…. It's his bride's turn. His heart beats faster at that thought as he roughly lets out an exhale. It goes quicker than he expected. He can now see Corvo and Becky are walking down the aisle with a smile on their faces, and soon enough, Corvo is standing next to Kenshi and Becky next to Cassie on to-be Athenia's side.

Suddenly, the classical wedding music is starting to fade and Ellie Goulding's How Long Will I love you starts to fill the room with its beautiful chords. At this point, Hanzo cannot even describe how nervous he is, and he doesn't even know why he is. Even on his first wedding, he didn't feel this way at all. But how come he is now?


	4. The Wedding (part 2)

With her arm linked to her stepfather's, Andres Stathakis, Athenia is now fully dressed in white and is waiting nervously for her turn to walk down the aisle as she tries to steady her breathing. She tries to take a peek from the slightly ajar door, but no luck; she cannot see anything clearly, so she doesn't know what is going on inside. Unconsciously, her grip on him is getting stronger.

"Whoa! Are you okay, sweetheart?" The gray-haired man startled.

Rather shocked as she unconsciously grips his arm too strongly, Athenia quickly retracts her grip and answers, "Oh! Sorry, Papa. I-I'm just nervous, that's all."

"Don't be. You've chosen the right man for you." he places her palm above hers linking with his arm.

Athenia smiles at his remark. She cannot help but return his warm gaze with her own. She can't believe she didn't even consider him as a family member in the first place – she even used to call him with his first name. She wished she could turn back time and go back to her childhood so she could spend more time with Andres. But then the sorrow will come back as well, so there's no use of turning back time; looking ahead seems to be a better option for now.

"And you know, if he turns out to be a jerk, you can kick his ass anytime he deserves it." Andres jokes, trying to lighten up her mood, and thankfully, that always works for her. She can't resist that chuckle that her throat lets out.

"Oh papa, you know he's not." Athenia chuckles as she recalls the first time she brought Hanzo to Athens to meet her parents and how shocked Andres was when he saw her finally bringing a man home. She remembers how he already had his gun prepared, but after a short conversation, they quickly get along fine, so the gun was useless that day.

Andres smiles at her. After a short pause, he leans his head towards her and gives Athenia a kiss on her cheek, "You look beautiful. I can't believe my little girl's getting married."

Athenia can feel her tears at bay, thinking how she had treated him unfairly in her childhood after all the things he has done for her and her mother. Instinctively, Athenia leans towards Andres and give him a hug, burying her head in his chest without caring about how her make-up will look and how her dress will soon be wrinkly,

"I love you, Papa." She says.

Andres wraps his arm around Athenia, stroking her as he replies, "I love you too, dear."

All of the sudden, one of the wedding planners approaches them with a bouquet filled with gorgeous blue and white flowers and call out to them, causing them to release the hug,

"I'm sorry to interrupt, but it's your turn to walk down the aisle," she says while handing Athenia the bouquet, "Congratulations. All the best of luck for you."

Athenia smiles at her remark and links her arm to Andres once again,

"Do I look okay?" Asks Athenia as she straightens her dress and veil, trying her best to return her dress to the best condition; she wouldn't want to disappoint Becky.

"I told you, you look beautiful."

Before Athenia could answer, the grand door opens before them, and Ellie Goulding's How Long Will I Love You can be clearly heard through her ears. She finds it hard to register her surrounding completely; she can only feel her heart thumping out of her chest. With one rigid flutter of her eyes, it all becomes clear and very real.

Thousands couple of eyes are on her. Every direction she glances, she cannot find one couple of eyes that doesn't go in her direction. Genuine smiles lighten up the room; some are even very close to shed a tear or two. She doesn't get used to be the center of attention, so immediately, her eyes head forward, searching for those eyes she's been wanting to see.

The moment their eyes met is the moment they will never forget. As smiles twitch on the happy couple's faces, their surroundings are empty. The room goes soundless, not even a drop of water can be heard through their ears. It feels like their hearts stop beating for a few seconds, and if it is, they wish to stay that way. The nervousness they felt moments ago have left the room, and only joy to be felt. Each step Athenia takes that minifies their distance feels like eternity to them, but they're savoring the moment just gazing into each other eyes from the distance, seeing the blissful future before their eyes and admiring the glimmering soul standing before them.

As Athenia reaches the rung that levels the corner where they will soon be jointed, Hanzo takes a step down to greet his bride with his hand.

"Congratulations both of you." Andres mumbles with a smile as he gives his stepdaughter one last kiss on the cheek. Athenia beams as she takes Hanzo's hand just before they express their gratitude to Andres.

As Andres is heading to his seat beside Athenia's mother, hand in hand, Hanzo and Athenia step up to the platform with big smiles flourishing their faces. Kitana is on their sight, greeting them with a smile she has never shown before. Her smile is sincere; it's obvious that she is happy for her stepsister and soon-to-be brother in law. And Athenia has never been happier with seeing Kitana actually showing some sincerity.

"Even the word angelic has nothing compared to how beautiful you look." Hanzo whispers to her ears as he lets go of her to stand in her bride spot. Athenia blushes before she can say anything. Soon enough, they are now face to face. Kitana stands between them smiling. The music fades away as the ceremony begins.

"Dearly beloved, we are gathered here today in Edenia to share with Hanzo Hasashi and Athenia Stathakis as they exchange vows of their everlasting love," Kitana begins her speech, "If anyone here has any reasons as to why these two should not be joined in Holy Matrimony, let him speak now or forever hold his peace."

The room stays silent as Hanzo's hazel eyes and Athenia's turquoise eyes meet, followed by smile that twitch on their faces. Hanzo reaches out to her hands and she willingly give out her hands to be hold by him.

Kitana smiles before she precedes her speech. After a short pause, she pursues her speech, "Love is about understanding, tolerating, and sharing it unconditionally. It is not always easy; there will always be obstacles that must be gone through to test its strength. The strongest love will conquer all; pain, darkness, and sadness. And I'm standing here with a joy to say that I found that strong love within Hanzo and Athenia..."

After this point, neither of them can concentrate on the speech Kitana is giving. They are both taking in each other features closer; admiring each other as if it is the first time they realize they are both in love with each other. Glancing at each other never feels so right before. This moment hits them like a pouring rain in the middle of an arid desert. It's like they have finally found what has been missing in each others' life for so long; something they have been searching for life is standing right before them. They finally have found their missing pieces. As he mouths 'I love you', Athenia's face glows brighter as she gladly mouths those words back at Hanzo.

"Now, let us proceed to the vows." Kitana's words wake them up from their thought, "Athenia?"

Athenia takes that as a sign that she should go first. Immediately, Becky hands her a piece of paper to her from behind, exchanging it with the bouquet she's holding. She looks down to the paper as she unfolds it to reveal her own handwriting.

"Hanzo," She sighs, taking a short pause before she precedes, "The first time I laid eyes on you, I didn't even know why we were met. You are furious, bad-tempered, and God I wanted to kill you. But as I got to know you better, you are passionate, caring, and probably the bravest person I've ever met. Now, as I stand before you, I see all of the things I fell in love with. To me, you're much more than those things I've said about you. And I swear with all my life, I will stand by you, love you, and cherish you for the rest of my life."

Awes are heard through the guests as Kitana smiles. Hearing her vow, Hanzo can't help the flush within his cheeks as he smiles humbly. His heart feels as light as a thin air; the feeling's mutual. Athenia continues by sliding a white-gold wedding ring on his right ring finger which followed by a smile on her face. Hanzo then raise her hand to meet his lips before he begins his vow which Kenshi has handed.

"Athenia, the day I lost my first wife was the day that brings out all the worst in me. I was mad and angry. I didn't think I could ever find her replacement, and I didn't want to. Love became taboo since that day until I realized my feelings for you. The love we have is nothing like I imagine. It's not all rainbows and sweets; it's hard and we had to go through rocky roads and volcanoes, but it's the best thing that has ever happened to me in all my life. It's worth every drop of blood in my body, and I don't want to go through this experience with anyone else but you."

Hanzo then sighs heavily as he wrinkles the paper with his palm and hands it back to Kenshi. Confusions can be seen throughout the guests' faces and Kitana's. He then takes one step closer to reach out for both of her hands. She smiles unsurely, trying to read the expression on his face but she gets nothing out of it.

"Athenia, I didn't find the replacement of my first wife in you."

Gasps echoes throughout the room. Athenia stands there in shock. Her heart is in her throat and her lips tremble in fear. What is that suppose to mean? Is this all a lie? Could the earlier feelings she had in the dressing room be true? She can feel her eyes get wetter as her sight gets blurry when Hanzo smiles and lets out words that sings through her ears,

"I have found something much better and much more precious than anything I've had all my life in you." He says as he slides an identical, diamonded wedding band through her right ring finger.

Instantly, she beams brighter as a drop of tear stream down her reddened cheek. She wants to cry and laugh at the same time. She covers her mouth slightly at his remark,

"You jerk I thought you were lying." These are her final words before that tear stream down her cheek as she circles her arms around his neck and buries herself in him. Hanzo laughs at her remark before he wraps his arm around her waist. Some of the guests are laughing, some are tearing, but most of them clap to Hanzo's speech. Kitana is one of the people who do all three. She finally lets go of him as she realizes she's sobbing in front of people. She wipes the tear from her face with Hanzo's assistance as she smiles in embarrassment. She now have realized that her nervousness in the dressing room is all for nothing.

The room has quiet down a bit as Kitana gets herself back on her feet with no more tear to be seen on her face.

"May I just say before I proceed that I have never seen this woman cry? Oh, what have you done to her, Hanzo?" Kitana says humorously followed by a short laugh from the audience and the happy couple who are still hand in hand.

"Kitana?" Athenia raises an eyebrow at her remark as if she's telling her to go on immediately.

"Sorry," Kitana smiles, "Athenia Stathakis, do you take this man as your lawfully wedded husband?"

"I do." Athenia says with a smile, glancing at him with a glance full of love.

Hanzo can't help the smile on his face. He knows she loves him, but it still surprises him that she is willing to be his wife, for some reason."

"Hanzo Hasashi, do you take this woman as your lawfully wedded wife?" Kitana turns to Hanzo with the similar question.

"I do." Hanzo says as his grip on her hand gets tighter.

Kitana's attention turns to the guests as she says joyfully, "So by the power vested in me as the queen of Edenia by the Elder Gods, I now pronounce you, husband and wife. You may now kiss the bride."

An even bigger smile appears within their faces before they get close to each other and wrap their arms around each other to exchange a romantic first kiss as a married couple. Even right now that they have kissed million times before, it feels like the very first time; butterflies appear in their stomach as their hearts race. They pull away a moment later as they throwing each other a happy grin while their nose still intact.

"Ladies and gentleman, I present to you, Mr. and Mrs. Hasashi!" Kitana shouts to the crowd as they clap with cheer as they give the newlywed couple standing ovations. Before they join hands to walk back down the aisle, Hanzo whispers in Athenia's ear,

"That new title suits you, my wife." He says as he flashes a sweet grin.

Athenia laughs and reply, "Right, hubby?"

Hanzo smiles as he bends his arm, signals Athenia to link her arm on him, "Shall we?"

She then link her arm on him and replies, "We shall."

* * *

 **Alright hope you enjoy this chapter! Don't forget to R &R. Constructive criticisms are welcome^^ (except anything related to OOCness lol) X**

 **PS: The lemon is coming next chapter**


	5. One

The big, long, exhausting yet lovely wedding has finally come to an end for Hanzo and Athenia, and they are now finally alone in their newlywed suit in Grand Palace of Edenia after the wedding reception has ended.

Athenia is taking off her jewelries while sitting on the dressing table right by the window as she glances outside occassionally. Edenian night sky is known to be the most beautiful in all realms and Athenia is always enchanted by it; the color of the sky is the mixed shades between dark blue and purple with a hint of pink. The moon is closer to Edenia than it is to Earthrealm, so night time in Edenia is brighter than any other realms especially now that it's full moon. The clouds are almost invisible, only a thin line to be seen. The sky is mostly covered with shining little stars with a slightly bigger stars in between that blinks warmly once in a while.

Still on her wedding dress, she is finally done taking all her jewelries and most of her hair pins off. Her make up is barely visible anymore, so she decides to clean her face up later. Her hair do is a few pins away for it to unravel, but she doesn't take it off as she gets distracted by a sudden falling star outside the window that sends her feet to stand. Her fingers touch the cold glass as her eyes admires the rare view of a falling star, smiling because of it.

She has never been so happy before. Her heart feels so light that it could possible fly her even lighter-felt body away. She's now Mrs. Hanzo Hasashi; a thing that never even crossed her mind the first time she laid eyes on him. She never knew she could fall deeply in love with someone –let alone with someone she used to despise. But she's surprisingly glad to be in love. It turns out to be something she needs to feel all her life, and Hanzo has given it to her.

Lost in her thoughts, suddenly the bathroom door creaks open and a warmth is moving towards her. Athenia doesn't bother to look back as she already knows who it is. A moment later, a set of muscular hands from behind are wrapped around her torso. A kiss on her cheek is landed as a deep husky voice goes through her ears,

"Mrs. Hasashi." Hanzo refers to her gently, "Are you alright?"

Athenia smiles as she rest her hands above her husband's, encouraging him to wrap her figure tighter. The warmth from his broad chest heats through her exposed back. She exhales at that sensation as she rests her head on his shoulder, leaning to his neck.

"I'm complete. So complete." Athenia replies gently.

"Indeed."

Athenia chuckles at his remark, her eyes never leaving the star that is currently blinking before her "That's not what I meant."

Hanzo lets out some air from his nose in amusement before he gently inhales some strands of her hair that falls next to her ears, causing her to slightly shivers. She likes it when Hanzo touches her there.

"Why are you being so quiet? You usually talk too much, you know." Asks Hanzo humorously.

"Stop it, Hanzo." Athenia giggles, "It's just gratifying to know that we've finally made it into this step. I don't know what's coming next, but I'm excited, and I can't wait to share that excitement with you." Her palm travels to his bone structure, passing his glorious beard gently before it makes its way down to his neck, sweeping it with the softness of her fingertips.

"So am I, _Princess_." By the sound of his reply, it sounds like he's smiling to her, "No matter what come our way, I'll stay by your side. Forever."

Athenia then turns her head on his direction shortly before her lips reach his soft ones, clamping his bottom lips in between her pouting wet lips. He exhales as his upper lips do the same before she pulls away,

"I love you, Hanzo."

Still facing her with only inches away, he replies gently, almost whispering, "And I you."

The heat charges between them as Hanzo pulls one of his hands away and finds the zipper on her dress, never leaving her eyes. He zips it down so slowly until it reaches its heel, revealing her right side torso even more every inch he pulls the zipper down. He then place his hands on her shoulder, easing her wedding dress off to the floor in one motion. Athenia's shoulder is gently lifted in response to his touch.

She is now standing only in her lacy white underpants and a wedding garter circling her right thigh. With her naked back still facing Hanzo, Athenia exhales when he runs the tip of his thumb along her spine as it creates a trail down to her hip, putting just the right pressure on his thumb to send her wanting more. Gently, he kisses the junction between her neck and shoulder, involving his warm tongue against her cold skin while his palms caress her waist and making their way up-front to her torso, but he stops just when his thumb reaches under her breasts. He continues his teases with his palms and mouth as Athenia groans in pleasure. His fingers are now teasing the area around her navel, toying her underwear; almost reaching into her wanting womanhood, but he retracts just right before her panties band. God, he's so good at teasing her with his electrifying touch. She places her palm on the back of his head, tugging her fingers beneath his long hair while forcing him to put more pressure on his tongue as she closes her eyes to absorb all the pleasure he's giving.

She can now feel his hardened soldier against her hipbone as he pulls her body closer to him. She's getting curious, but before she can grip on his member, Hanzo turns her body around by her waist and gently pushes her by the cold window pane leaving no distance between her and the window as he claims her lips. Athenia returns his kiss willingly, feeling his softness against hers. She places her arms around his neck as their tongue starts to dance in a soft, sensual rhythm. His arm goes below her armpit to unravel her long, jet-black hair with his fingers. Athenia moans in delight as Hanzo's lips leave hers and make its way to her right ear, clamps it gently with his teeth as he lets out a soft breath that sends her features to shiver. She might be a fierce huntress on the battlefield, and she could take anything easily, but right now, she cannot take anymore delightful torture. She wants him. Inside. Now.

"Hanzo, I—" Athenia breathlessly tries to tell Hanzo to stop, but before she says anything, Hanzo retracts his mouth,

"Shush…" Hanzo whispers gently besides her ear. His breath hitches. She knows he wants her too, but he's taking his time like he always does, "No talking. Just feeling."

Hanzo's lips continue teasing the area below her ear, making a wet trail down to the hollow of her neck with his tongue, circling it deliciously. Then it makes its way south between her breasts with his beard brushing delicately against it, adding an element of tease. His hand cups both of her perfectly round breasts on the way as he kneels down slowly, pulling her hardened light brown nipples that send Athenia panting by his sudden movement. Hanzo grasps on her hips now that he has dropped to his knees. He runs his tongue along her torso as he passes her navel. His teeth pull her underwear band and release it in a swift move. The sharpness of the band hitting her uterus area makes her inhale sharply as her hand fists in his hair.

She can't think of anything right now. She decides to go with Hanzo's pace even though she's pretty sure she is soaking already. She normally would push Hanzo to the bed at this point and claim his body, but now, for some strange reason, she would rather enjoy the pleasure of his sensual teasing. The only thing she can do is to pull out his t-shirt, which she does. Hanzo takes a break from his journey down south to let his t-shirt lifted by Athenia which she then throws beside her, revealing his olive skin covered muscular body. She's always amazed by how frustratingly good he looks without his shirt on, and his body is hers to touch and explore. The thought is pleasing her.

Hanzo continues and his hand is now cupping her bums, hooking the underwear band beneath his fingers as if he's about to peel them off, but he catches Athenia by surprise when his hands caress the inside of her thigh and his teeth find its way to the wedding garter circling around her right thigh. His beard scratches gently on the surface of her thigh as he slowly, teasingly pulls it down her long legs, which she slightly bends for easy access, while leaving pecks along the way, sending the wedding garter to the floor. His gorgeous hazel eyes find hers along the process.

His head then travels slightly north while suspending Athenia's right leg on his shoulder, causing her to expose her groin on his face. Instantly, she grips on the window frame tightly as she knows what coming next. She now can feel Hanzo's nose in between her leg, inhaling her arousal, and how she wishes her lacy pants weren't in the way. Nonetheless, the sight still turns her on, especially when he nips her clit oh-so-gently with his beard tickling her private part gently that sends her over the edge to lose patience, and she knows Hanzo is aroused by her scent with the way he impatiently slides her underwear to the side and thrusts one finger inside her wetness which leaves her moaning for more. After one more thrust, Hanzo pulls out his finger and glances at her arousal intact to his finger then he deliberately licks his lips. His eyes want her, and she knows that. She wonders how hard he is right now with that look on his face and the hitch on his breath.

Surprisingly, Hanzo slides her underwear back to one side and in a faster pace, his tongue finds her wet opening as he places his hand around her suspended thigh. She inhales sharply at his sudden move and instantly, her grip on the window frame gets tighter to keep herself still at this overwhelmingly good sensation as she arches her head back. His tongue moves up and down her clit with his lips sandwiching it and she moans in return. Plus, his beard is involved in teasing her aroused self by scratching itself softly on the inside of her thigh. Her other hand grope on his hair to force him to go deeper into her inside and he doesn't hesitate. God, his ex-wife was one lucky bastard. She has been teased for so long by now and she's close. Very close. Her body stiffened as her hip rises and one more stroke of his circling tongue against her sensitive clit, she explodes as she cries out in pleasure, leaving her breathless after he retracts his tongue away. Hanzo deliberately licks his lips, tasting her cum as he throws a wicked grin at her as if he's telling her that he likes how she tasted.

Tempted by his grin, Athenia grabs Hanzo by his arm and lifts him into standing position, placing her lips on his as she tastes her own arousal from his mouth. Their tongue dances once again as she drives him on the edge of the bed. She then pushes him gently, sending him to lie on his back. She rests her whole weight on top of him. Lips fully locked on Hanzo as she has him under her mercy. Her right leg is resting between his legs, and she can feel his hard member against her belly as his palm caresses her back. Athenia's lips then slowly make its way down to his chest as she inhales his intoxicating smell of ash and musk. Hanzo hisses as Athenia's lips travel west and her teeth grasp lightly on his nipple. She looks up to find his eyes, but his head is way arched, and to her it looks like he is enjoying the delicious torture she's giving. As the sight turns her on even more, she creates a trail of pecks with his moist lips down to his navel which then a circular movement is done by her tongue which trembles his sublime abs, and he growls in return.

Athenia continues her turn of teasing his navel, but she's soon distracted by how tight his pants feels as she grabs his hot and stiff shaft. Swiftly, she kneels up as she removes his sweatpants and throws it carelessly, freeing the large package. She then finds Hanzo's hazel eyes; and its wanting. Badly. Almost begging. Athenia purposely bites her bottom lip on his remark, but she doesn't keep him hungry for long. She drops herself and thrust his aching soldier into her mouth, passing her plump lips in the process. Hanzo's features stiffen as he whimpers under her control. She flashes a grin on her face as she starts to move in a slow yet sensual rhythm. Hanzo tangles his fingers in her hair, encouraging Athenia to go deeper as her head bobs his length. Her tongue teases the vein below his tip, causing him to let out a deep growl out of pleasure. She then release her shaft with a wet pop a moment after she tastes his pre-cum, but she hasn't stopped. Her tongue starts to work its way down to his pendulums, sucking and slightly nips it as her eyes met his. His whole weight is now supported by his elbow to watch how she works her way around, and so far, she's liking the view he's giving her; his lips part with his eyes closed and his head arches back.

After a few licks and strokes, Hanzo pulls her head away. Hastily, he grabs Athenia by her waist and lies her down on her back, positioning himself on top of her with his eyes never leaving hers. He drops his head to give Athenia a smooch before he kneels up and hooks his index finger on her panties, sliding it down her legs slowly.

Both of them are now completely nude. Their skin caress one another, and the sensation arouses Athenia as Hanzo drops himself down and positions the head of his manhood at her spreaded soaking entrance, teasing her clit with it. Thankfully, he doesn't tease her for long. Athenia exhales softly as he fills her completely with his length, wrapping her legs around his torso. Hanzo lets out a soft growl as he starts to move in a slow, enticing pace, thrusting and releasing repeatedly. Athenia's moans synchronized his pace. She has finally gotten what she's been aching since he pulls down her wedding dress. Their eyes never leaving each other's. Then, she buries her nails on his muscular back, sending Hanzo's lips to touch hers before he buries his head in between her neck and shoulder. Athenia groans in pleasure as Hanzo locks her arms on his, allowing him to plunge even deeper into her wetness. She realizes he can't help the overwhelming sensation as he picks up his pace, grinding her quicker that sends her over the edge of exploding once again.

However, Hanzo catches Athenia by surprise as he releases himself from her and flips her, sending her to lie on her stomach. At first, she lets out a small voice of protest as she thought Hanzo is teasing her again, but then she grins when Hanzo lifts her up by her stomach, causing her to kneel with her elbow supporting her weight. With her bums facing him, she inhales sharply as Hanzo plunges himself into her once again. Gripping her firmly on her hipbone, he grinds her in an even quicker pace, causing her to whimper uncontrolably. His hands then travel to her breasts, cupping them gently as he puts his weight on her back. His lips find her neck and his tongue tortures her there. The passion that fills the room sends Athenia to quiver. She moans louder as she stiffened under his touch; she's really close, and so is he judging by how his pace has picked up way more and how hard he bangs her behind. She can hear Hanzo groans louder in her ear as he fills her with warm fluid inside her, and that is all it takes for her to burst within him as well.

Still inside her, Hanzo lands a soft kiss on her back, causing her to beam. He then releases himself as Athenia lies on her back once again.

"Thank you, Mr. Hasashi. I really enjoyed that one." Athenia thanks Hanzo while trying to catch her breath.

Hanzo smiles in return as he drops himself and give her a peck on her lips, "You're most welcome, my love."

* * *

 **YAY so that's the end of this light fanfic. And yes, that's my very first lemon/smut. How did I do? Is it obvious? Your review would really help me :)**


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